


Modern History

by RoseGlass



Series: Beautiful Freaks [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Difference, Battle of New York (Marvel), Brooklyn, Cyborgs, F/M, For Science!, Gen, HYDRA takeover, M/M, Manhattan, Next gen Howling Commandos, Phone Calls & Telephones, Slow Dancing, Survivor Guilt, Washington D.C., triskelion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-15
Updated: 2014-09-15
Packaged: 2018-02-17 12:57:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2310413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseGlass/pseuds/RoseGlass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers, in the process of acquainting himself with the 21st century, is given the hard copy files of the Howling Commandos. This starts a journey for Steve to find so much more than he ever expected in the legacy of the little specialist group he developed to take down HYDRA.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Modern History

**Author's Note:**

> Modern History
> 
>  
> 
> Chapter One: Phone Call
> 
>  
> 
> RoseGlass
> 
> Captain America/ Marvel Cinematic Universe/ Agents of SHIELD
> 
>  
> 
> 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
> 
>  
> 
> A.N. This chapter takes place in a deleted scene of the Avengers, leading into where Captain America is officially brought into the Initiative. I was really struck by the conflict going through him at this point where he sees it in black and white, that his old unit, his teammates and friends are all dead, except one. This goes into that conflict just a bit and helps him make that first step towards contact. 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I’m writing fanfiction...I obviously am not making any money off this. I’m also a poor college student, donations to support our union can be made available at nobodycaresaboutstudents.org, also at notarealwebsiteorgroup.com, or direct payments made to pleasehelpimpoorandcantfeedmycat.edu
> 
> Thank you for your consideration.

Steve Rogers had been awake from a 70 year beauty nap for nearly a month before one of the SHIELD agents he was working with handed him a package.

Sitting alone in his nearly empty apartment in Brooklyn, staring at the file folders stacked neatly inside the box. He was shocked, he had been asking for any knowledge of his teammates but hadn’t expected much of anything. If he were honest with himself, he would say it was because he had been gone…a very long time. Chances were, none of them were alive anymore, and if they were…well, what old geezer would want to see the living, breathing ghost of his ex-captain. Someone who hadn’t aged a day while they were probably wrinkled, dying husks of the men he knew.

He sighed. Things were so different in this time. So much had changed. He didn’t recognize so many of the buildings, even in his old neighborhood.

This wasn’t helping. He eyed the folders with resignation, removing them all from the delivery box and setting it aside. He opened the first one…

James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes…Deceased KIA.

James “Jimmy” Logan Howlett…MIA status unknown see X-Files. Well that’s different.

Name after name always followed by the big red stamp…deceased.

Finally he came to Howie Stark, saw the SHIELD emblem under his picture. So that’s what he ended up doing. But he was dead too. Just not as long ago as some of the others.

Following Howard was one face Steve wasn’t familiar with. Dark hair, fancy suit, odd beard. Name: Anthony “Tony” Edward Stark, Alias: Ironman, SHIELD affiliate business partner , member of the Founder’s Board, financial backer of the Maria Stark Foundation, and Avengers Initiative Consultant, currently living in…wouldn’t you know it, Manhattan Island, New York City, NY. Steve put this one aside too but promised himself to look it over again later.

And the last one, he’d had a feeling who this one would be.

Margaret “Peggy” Carter, SHIELD emblem and…no deceased stamp. Peggy was still alive? Barely glancing over the rest of the file, his eyes came to rest on the words Location: Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, Phone Number…

He glanced over to the phone across the room.

But what would he say...where would he even begin?

Steve stood quickly, feeling overwhelmed in the moment. He gathered up his sketch pad, thinking of going to the café he noticed downtown. Walking to the door he passed by the phone again. He shook his head and left.

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 

Walking back inside his apartment, Steve sighed. The waitress was sweet, a looker too, but… Oh who was he kidding? For the rest of his life he was going to compare every gal he ever met to Peggy.

Unlocking the door and locking it again, he dropped his wallet and keys on the side table and turned. No matter where he went it was like he couldn’t get away from it.

He started pacing, towards the phone and away from it.

He could call. He could call and…what? Would she sound like the Peggy he remembered? Would she still be a spitfire dame? She was 94 now, so chances were she didn’t look the same…would she even remember him?

70 years is a long time, but for him he was in the midst of the War a month ago. For her and everyone else – well it was a very long time ago.

What would he say? ‘Hi, Peg. It’s Steve, you probably don’t remember me but I’d still like to take you dancing. I don’t know any places though, but…’

Yeah, he didn’t think that would go over well either.

Steve stopped, narrowing his eyes at the electronic device. He was Captain America, the man who led troops against HYDRA and won. He took down Red Skull. He…he was just a kid from Brooklyn. Glancing out the window- Brooklyn a long time ago. For Pete’s sake, he used to get beaten up in alleys less than a block from this very building. That was before the serum, sure, but sometimes, okay- all the time, he still feels like that person. Just lacking any asthma attacks. He even updated his inhaler prescription through SHIELD just in case.

Argh! None of this was helping. Okay, so what if he didn’t call. He didn’t even need to think about that one. Steve knew that he would regret it every day and always wonder ‘what if?’

So that settles it then. He’s gonna call.

Steve picked up the phone before he could change his mind again.

‘What was the number again?’

Carrying the black, cordless phone in hand, he rushed over to the desk where the folders still lay. Grabbing Peggy’s he opened it up, eyes instantly going over the picture to the number below.

Using the forefinger of his right hand, he pressed the corresponding numbers. Placing the phone to his ear he waited for it to connect.

Riiing

Riiing

Riii- “Hello, Carter Residence, this is Stephanie speaking, may I ask who this is?”

A girl answered. Teenager by the sound of it, and American too.

“Umm, hi Stephanie, my name is Steve. I’m calling for Peggy, is she around?”

“Uh, yeah, hang on a sec. (Aunt Sharon! Some American guy is calling for Nana Peggy!) Sorry just a minute, I’m getting my aunt to pick up the other line.”

“Oh, no problem…Um how is Peggy?”

“Hmm? Oh as well as can be expected. She is 94, it’s a miracle she’s giving her doctors as much hell as she is. Hey, how do you know my grandma anyway?”

“…Let’s just say I owe her a dance, and a long apology.”

“…ok? Hey your full name wouldn’t be-“

“Sorry about the wait, my Aunt’s a terror when it comes to taking her meds. How can I help you?”

“…Sorry but who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Sharon Carter, I’m Peggy’s niece and Steph’s aunt. You were calling for Peggy, right?”

“Yes, yes, um if she’s not too busy right now I’d like to talk to her?”

“Well, I was trying to get her to go to bed at a decent hour, but I suppose talking to someone for a while should be fine. It’s been a good day. What did you say your name was?”

“Steve…”

“(Hey, Nana, there’s a young man named Steve on the phone for you. Steph said he owes you a dance?)”

“(Give the phone here!) Hello?”

He swallowed heavily, “Hi, Peggy. It’s been a while…”

“…Can it really…Mr. Rogers you owe me one bloody hell of an apology for making me wait so damn long! And a dance, but let’s start with the apology and answering some questions shall we?”

Same old Peg, straight to business. Steve chuckled, glad things hadn’t changed too much as he settled into his desk chair.

“Whatever you want Peggy, but you gotta answer some of mine too.”

Two hours later he hung up the phone after a long conversation with both Sharon and Stephanie who were both pretty wonderful. Peggy had herself one amazing family looking after her. They all promised that they would come visit him for a few weeks this summer if he would come to England for a few weeks with them. They promised to talk again more tomorrow, but Steve was going to have to remember that time difference. Peggy was nodding off in the middle of their conversation since it was getting so late for her. Time to get some dinner and hit the gym so he could rent it after closing again.

It was good to talk to Peggy again. He missed her candor, and strength of will. He was certain that there was no other woman like her in the world. No matter what time.

As Steve stood there, digging the toes of his tennis shoes into the padded floor, hitting the bags. controlling his strength with each punch to make the bag last longer. He thought about the war. About the people he lost, the people he loved, about going down in that airship.

With each hit, the bag rocked a little harder, dust flew a little higher. He lost himself in what he was doing. And just as suddenly, the bag broke. Dropped down to the gym floor like a fifty pound sack of flour, splitting right on the seam.

Steve turned when Nick Fury spoke up, knowing something was going to happen now. He accepted the new files, the Avenger’s Initiative. 

That was the end of Steve Rogers’ rehabilitation into the 21st century. It was time for Captain America to be a hero again.

0o0o0o0o000o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o


End file.
